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Articles of Interest: October 1, 2010

A weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters, including articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers, mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products, or other research using AHRQ data or products.

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.

Journal of Nervous and Mental DiseaseWalkup JT, Akincigil A, Amin S, et al. Prevalence of diagnosed HIV disease among Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia in U.S. metropolitan areas. J Nerv Ment Dis 2010 Sep; 198(9):682-6. [Supported in part by cooperative agreement grant U18 HS16097 (for the Center for Research and Education Mental Health Therapeutics at Rutgers, as part of AHRQ's Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) program).] Select to access the abstract.

Rosenbaum S. Data governance and stewardship: designing data stewardship entities and advancing data access. Health Serv Res 2010 Oct; 45(5 Pt 2):1442-55. [Mentions that "Insight into how stakeholders view data stewards can be gleaned from public comments in response to a 2007 request for information (RFI) focusing on a national data stewardship project, which was issued by the [AHRQ]," citing Summary of Responses: National Health Data Stewardship Entity Request for Information, as issued by AHRQ on June 4, 2007, and Summary of Responses: National Health Data Stewardship RFI, as published on AHRQ's National Resource Center for Health Information Technology Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Lane J, Schur C. Balancing access to health data and privacy: a review of the issues and approaches for the future. Health Serv Res 2010 Oct; 45(5 Pt 2):1456-67. [Notes data items omitted from MEPS and Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data files and discusses AHRQ's data center usage access; notes that "microdata from the insurer/employer component of MEPS are only available through the Census Bureau RDCs"; cites AHRQ-authored article by Machlin, Cohen, Elixhauser, Beauregard, and Steiner (first, second, and fourth authors are current/former researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends and third and fifth authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) (Med Care, 2009), which uses 2002-2005 MEPS Household Component and Medical Provider Component data.] Select to access the abstract.

Bradley CJ, Penberthy L, Devers KJ, et al. Health services research and data linkages: issues, methods, and directions for the future. Health Serv Res 2010 Oct; 45(5 Pt 2):1468-88. [Table 1 lists HCUP as example; Table 2 lists and describes HCUP and MEPS; recommends establishment of a panel of experts sponsored by AHRQ and National Institutes of Health (NIH) to "develop a comprehensive plan for expanding the warehouse of linked files" and establishment of a task force convened by AHRQ and NIH "to develop a robust set of policies, standards, and best practices for linking and using secondary data...".] Select to access the abstract.

McHugh M, Joshi M. Improving evaluations of value-based purchasing programs. Health Serv Res 2010 Oct; 45(5 Pt 2):1559-69. [Recommends that AHRQ and other funding organizations "partner with researchers as early in the process as possible so that implementation studies can incorporate the planning stages;" notes delays associated with the OMB clearance process for federally funded research involving specified data collection activities, citing Navigating the OMB Clearance Process: Guidance for ACTION Task Orders, 2008; states that AHRQ and CMS "are the best positioned to fund and coordinate the development of new measures" on the relative performance of providers; proposes that "AHRQ convene a roundtable of experts … to consider ways in which researchers could conduct synthesis research or even meta-analyses of VBP evaluations"; cites AHRQ's Pay for Performance: The US Experience, 2009, and AHRQ-funded article by Rosenthal and Dudley (JAMA, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

Modern HealthcareRobeznieks A. The fear factor. Malpractice reforms haven't done much to end defensive medicine and the costs it adds to the system. Mod Healthc 2010 Sep 13; 40(37):6-7. [Mentions AHRQ's award of "$25 million in grants for several patient safety and medical liability demonstration projects, with $2 million awarded to JBA/RAND to evaluate the findings from these projects and develop evidence to guide long-term solutions to current liability problems"; quotes remarks by AHRQ director Carolyn Clancy and AHRQ public affairs representative Karen Migdail.]

Health Services ResearchBilheimer LT, Klein RJ. Data and measurement issues in the analysis of health disparities. Health Serv Res 2010 Oct; 45(5 Pt 2):1489-1507. [Mentions the establishment of AHRQ by the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999 and its direction to AHRQ to produce an annual National Healthcare Disparities Report; notes the first NHDR's distinction between disparity and inequity; notes the lack of income data in HCUP and that MEPS inputs missing income by linking to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).] Select to access the abstract.